The Crimson Phoenix
by Gemini14
Summary: Sailor Moon, Fushigi Yugi Crossover. When Mamoru is asked to help find the reincarnated Suzaku Seishi, he may have agreed to more than he'd bargained for! RR Please!
1. Chapter One

The Crimson Phoenix

Chapter One

Usagi watched jealously from afar as Mamoru waited patiently at a street corner. He had been standing there for almost fifteen minutes. 

"_He'd better not be meeting another woman!_" Usagi fumed, as her man continued to wait. Then, finally, three men emerged from the crowd and greeted Mamoru. They all looked to be around Mamoru's age and one of them carried a thick, red, leather-bound book under his right arm. 

"_So he's NOT meeting another woman! But who are those guys? What do they want from Mamo-chan?_" Usagi wondered, as the four men walked off, already in deep conversation. Before they could disappear from sight, Usagi started following them, taking extra care not to be noticed by them as they went.

"So you want me to help you study this book, Keisuke-kun? Why? What's the purpose of in even looking into this old volume?" Mamoru asked, as he and his companions strode into the dingy, dimly lit History Clubroom at the college they all attended. 

"Well, since you're so adept at solving small mysteries here on campus, I figured you could really be of help with this mystery." Keisuke replied, as he motioned for them all to be seated and put the book before Mamoru on the table. 

"So you and Tetsuya are in on this as well, Taka-kun?" Mamoru asked, noticing the conspiratory glances the three men shared from time to time. 

"Yes. Unfortunately, so, Mamoru-sempai. I personally hope you can clear up the mystery surrounding this book." Taka said, his eyes showing an urgency that was not heard from his voice. Mamoru finally gave in. 

"All right, all right! You win! I'll use that 'special ability' to figure out what's going on with this book." Mamoru said, resignedly, as he placed a hand, palm down, onto the book's cover and closed his eyes. Instantly an image sprang into his mind. 

"I see……………..a brilliant palace……………it looks Chinese by the way it is built. I see the emperor, Seihi…………he looks upset about something………someone close to him has just died…Kutoukoku…………Kutoukoku is about to attack……………No………………Don't go that way!…………Hotohori!!!!" Mamoru shouted, coming out of his trance as quickly as he'd gone into it. When he opened his eyes, he could see that the faces of his friends had blanched. 

"He'd found out that much about the past just by touching the book!" Taka murmured, looking dumbfounded as he said so. 

"Damn straight. Can you tell where he is now, Mamoru-sempai?" Tetsuya asked. Before Mamoru could reply, a knock was heard at the door. 

"Come in!" Keisuke called. 

"I thought I'd heard some shouting coming from in here and decided to come and check it out." A familiar sounding voice said, as its owner entered the room. Taka could have been knocked over with a feather. There, right in front of him, was a man who was a dead ringer for his late friend, Hotohori! All in the room froze and stared at the newcomer. 

"What? Why are you all staring at me like that? Do I have something on my face?" the man asked, with some confusion in his manner. 

"No! Erm…..come on in, Kenichi-kun!" Keisuke said, after he'd recovered somewhat from the initial shock. Though hesitant, Kenichi did as he was bidden and sat in the chair adjacent to Taka and on Mamoru's left-hand side. 

"Have you ever heard of the book by the title of '_Four gods earth and sky'_?" Keisuke asked, evenly. 

"No, can't say that I have. But when you mention it, it does sound familiar to me. What's it all about?" Kenichi asked, a slight glimmer of recognition coming into his golden eyes. 

"It's mainly about four gods that represent the four cardinal directions; north, south, east and west. There's Suzaku to the south, Seiryu to the east, Byakko to the west and Genbu to the north. Each of these four gods has a priestess and seven seishi to their name. Right now we are focused on Suzaku and the Suzakusichisei. There's Tamahome, Hotohori, Nuriko, Chichiri, Tasuki, Chiriko, and Mitsukake. Does any of these names mean anything to you, Kenichi?" Taka asked, having forgotten that Mamoru was still sitting there. 

"Yes. For some reason, those names sound familiar, especially Hotohori. I hope you don't mind if I stick around for a while longer, I would like to figure out why this seems familiar to me." Kenichi said, as he gingerly handled the heavy tome and leafed through it. 

"We don't mind at all, but I intend to get some more work done on this, now that we at least have a small lead. Keisuke, do you have a copy of the '_Four gods earth and sky_' I can use for the time being?" Mamoru asked, after maintaining his silence so the newcomer could get used to his company. 

"Not in book form, Mamoru-sempai, but we do have it in a scroll form. That may even prove to be even clearer for you to decipher than the book, since this scroll is far older." Tetsuya said, as he handed Mamoru the scroll. Once again, the moment he touched the weathered paper, Mamoru was plunged headlong into a past that never was. He saw a group of people standing before Seihi. One of the people looked exactly like his friend Taka! He could hear voices, men's and one woman's. They all sounded worried but the only two words Mamoru could make out were the words 'Genbu' and 'shinzaho'. 

"Genbu…………….shinzaho………………" Mamoru muttered, not knowing that he'd said the words out loud. 

"The Genbu Shinzaho! One of the two Shinzaho needed to summon Suzaku after the botched attempt…………..!" Kenichi said, startling all that were in the room. 

"Kenichi…………could it possibly be that you are the reborn Hotohori?!" Tetsuya asked, his sunglasses sliding down his nose so that his eyes could actually be seen. 

"There may be one way to find out. My imoto-chan is always able to tell when Taka-kun is around. Let's see if she can sense Kenichi as well." Keisuke suggested. 

"Why is your sister always able to sense Taka, Keisuke-kun?" Mamoru asked, out of curiosity. 

"It is because Taka and Tamahome are one in the same. You see, my sister was the Suzaku no Miko." Keisuke replied, seriously. 

"That explains why I saw Taka in that vision I'd just now seen. And that would also explain why I have always felt a strange aura around him as well. Shall we go and test your hypothesis, Keisuke-kun?" Mamoru asked, as he stood and carefully tucked the scroll into his jacket. 

"Yeah, let's go." Keisuke replied, as the rest of them stood and they all walked out of the room together. 

The whole thing befuddled Usagi, who'd been hiding under a window the whole time. "_Suzaku? Genbu Shinzaho?? Suzakusichisei?! What does it all mean?!? What is Mamo-chan getting himself into? I must find out!_" Usagi thought, as she waited for the men to disappear down the hall and raised her transformational item. 

"Moon Eternal, Make Up!" Usagi shouted, transforming into her alternate guise of Eternal Sailor Moon. Without another moment's hesitation, Sailor Moon leaped onto the window ledge and then to the roof of the next building so she could remain out of sight of the now five men who were getting into a white car and heading for another part of town. 

Mamoru was unaware that Sailor Moon was tailing him as he and his companions rode in Keisuke's car towards their ultimate destination. Finally, Keisuke pulled into the driveway of a white house and parked the car. 

"Okay guys, here's the game plan. Kenichi-kun will walk behind Tetsuya-kun and Mamoru-sempai; Mamoru-sempai's behind Taka-kun and me. The first ones my imoto-chan will probably see will be Taka-kun and me. After she sees us, I will introduce her to Mamoru-sempai and Kenichi-kun. Is everyone clear on what is about to be done?" Keisuke asked. 

"Yes sir!" Tetsuya, Taka, Mamoru, and Kenichi said in unison. 

"Good. Now let's see if she can sense Hotohori in our friend Kenichi." Keisuke said, ignoring the somewhat sarcastic response he'd just gotten from the other four men. 

Miaka looked up from the sandwich she'd been eating when the doorbell rang. "_Wonder who that could be? Taka, I hope!_" Miaka thought, as she went to answer the door. To her pleasure, one of the first people she saw when she opened the door was Taka, then she saw her brother and Tetsuya. Then a familiar presence came into her mind. 

"Onii-san! Taka! Can you sense that?! Hotohori's around here somewhere! I can feel him!" Miaka shouted, excitedly. 

"You were right about this, Keisuke-kun. Kenichi-kun, or should I say, Hotohori, step to the front please." One man said, as he motioned for the man in the far back to step forward. Miaka had to stop herself from screaming as the man called Kenichi stepped forward and stood there in front of her. 

"Hoto…………….Hotohori!!!" Miaka sobbed as she hugged the stunned Kenichi around the waist. Then the stunned expression left Kenichi's face and he hugged Miaka back. 

"That strange aura again……it's twice as strong as before!" Mamoru said, then looked at Kenichi's neck, suddenly noticing the bright red glow that had settled over his neck. When he chanced a look, Mamoru noticed that there was a red marking on his neck. Then he looked at Taka. Taka also had a similar marking on his forehead. 

"Two out of seven seishi have been found…..I wonder how long it will be before we find another." Mamoru said, his voice getting the attention of Miaka. 

"Who are you? Why do you look so much like Taka?!" Miaka asked, catching Mamoru off guard. 

"I am Chiba Mamoru, and, as for how I could look like Sukunami-kun, well, you would have to ask my deceased parents for that answer." Mamoru replied, with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. 

"Oh, um,…. Uh, …..I beg your pardon then! I thought you were another Tamahome impostor! Gomene!" Miaka said, embarrassed by her little outburst. 

"No problem. Even the professors on campus get Sukunami-kun and I mixed up. It's rather humorous, really, to tell you the truth." Mamoru said, with a chuckle. Miaka breathed a sigh of relief. 

"I'm so glad that you're not angry with me! But how did you find Hotohori?" Miaka asked, her curiosity piqued. 

"Actually, he found us. You see, we convinced Mamoru-sempai to use his psychometry on the '_Four gods earth and sky_' to see if he could locate the rest of the Suzakusichisei if they had been reborn here on earth and he saw Hotohori first. Then we heard a knock at the door and in steps Kenichi. We asked him if he knew anything about the '_Four gods earth and sky'_ and he said no, but then said that it sounded familiar to him and asked us to describe what it was about to him. We did, and afterwards Mamoru asked us if we had an extra copy of the '_Four gods earth and sky_' and we gave him the scroll so he could continue working on it." Tetsuya said. 

"Oh! I almost forgot! I can't very well leave you guys standing here! Come on in! Oka-san and Oto-san aren't going to be in for a while, so come on in and maybe Chiba-sempai can find out something about one of the other seishi while we are here!" Miaka said, as she ushered the men inside and showed them to the living room. 

"Oi, Mamoru-sempai! Want a beer?" Keisuke asked, as he headed into the kitchen with his sister to get something for them all to drink. 

"No thank you, Keisuke-kun, I don't drink." Mamoru said, as he sat in one of the sofa chairs and Hotohori sat in the one adjacent to his. 

"See?! You DO have a friend that doesn't drink! I told you so, Onii-san!" Miaka shouted, getting laughter that eased the tension from around all of the men. 

"It's so strange…………..Here I am, reborn into Miaka's world! Who would have thought that it could have been possible?" Hotohori murmured, as he sat back and stared at the ceiling. 

"Hotohori! Chiba-sempai! Would you two rather have some tea, or coffee? There's some here in the kitchen." Miaka said, as she stuck her head out of the kitchen. 

"Some coffee would be great. Thank you, Yuki-san." Mamoru replied, not wanting to refuse the offer and seem impolite. 

"And I would like some tea, if you please." Hotohori said, with a laugh. 

Sailor Moon was fit to be tied. She had just watched her man enter the house with his friends and another girl. But she couldn't do anything about it. If she went in there, she would risk exposing her identity and if she didn't………….well, she didn't want to think of what would happen if she didn't. 

"_I'll just give him a piece of my mind later!_" Sailor Moon thought, as she sneaked up to the window and watched the people inside.

"Now that we are all seated in here, why don't you show them your psychometry at work, Mamoru-sempai?" Keisuke asked, getting an unreadable look from his upper-classman friend. 

"What do I look like, a member of a freak show or somethin'? Fine! All right! I'll do it! I just hope that I get some more information this time." Mamoru said, as he reached into his jacket and pulled out the scroll. Once again, the moment he touched the paper, he was propelled back into the dreamlike world of the '_Four gods earth and sky_'. 

"I see……..mountains……………….it's cold………………the way to getting the shinzaho is just beyond the boulder……………….something behind me………………agh!!!" Mamoru suddenly cried out in pain and gripped his chest, doubling over as the pain tore through him. 

"Ashitare!………………..You're not going to stop…………………..Suzaku no miko……………Kourin, how long have you been standing there?" Mamoru whispered, before passing out. 

"Mamoru-sempai!" Hotohori shouted, catching the upper classman before he hit the floor. 

"Chiba-sempai, daijobu?!" Miaka yelped, as she and Taka rushed over to help with Mamoru. 

"Look! There's a bloodstain on his shirt in the exact spot where Nuriko's death-wound was!" Miaka said, as her eyes worriedly gazed at the stain on the shirt. 

"But look also, that there is no wound on his person. He felt Nuriko's pain, but didn't share the injury Nuriko had received from Ashitare." Hotohori said, as Mamoru started to come around. 

"Imoto-chan, go and get him some water. Quickly!" Keisuke ordered. Miaka nodded and rushed back into the kitchen to get Mamoru a glass of water. 

"What have you done to my boyfriend?!" another feminine voice screamed from the doorway of the living room. 

"Usa-ko……………….." Mamoru choked, as Hotohori approached the enraged girl that stood at the doorway. 

"Maybe we should ask you how you got into this house." Hotohori said, calmly, so as to not make a bad situation worse. 

"That is none of your concern! I want to know what you have done to my boyfriend! Why did he cry out in pain like that?!" the girl asked. Keisuke opened his mouth to explain, but then Mamoru slowly sat up, grimacing as he did so. 

"Usa-ko…………………..these people did not do anything to me. I chose to feel the pain when I agreed to help them find some missing friends of theirs using my psychometry. I've not really been wounded, but this has weakened me. Please try to understand. I had to meet these people without you by my side because I needed to find out what I was getting myself into without getting you into danger as well." Mamoru said, as he looked up at the girl. 

"Mamo-chan……………….yes, I do understand……………..but I want to help you as well. Is there anything I can do?" Usagi (who had de-transformed before barging into the house) asked, startling Mamoru by her sudden show of maturity on her part. 

"Usa-ko, you can start by scouring your school for a young man answering this description. Long, purple hair, tied back in a braid, eyes that are a lighter shade of purple, possibly lavender in color. He has a birthmark on the left-hand side of his face just below the corner of his eye. He's somewhat short, about 5' 5'' in height. Might possibly be from another country. You think you can find him?" Mamoru asked. 

"Sure! There were lots of new students enrolled this year that come from all over the world, one of them is bound to answer this description! But why are you looking for him?" Usagi asked. Keisuke and his friends and Miaka all looked at one another. 

"You'd better sit down erm…………….whoever you are……………….this could take a while to explain." Tetsuya said, as Mamoru was helped to the couch and he lay there as explanations began. 

"Before you start, my name is Tsukino Usagi." Usagi said, then allowed the men to begin explaining what had happened in the past that led up to that afternoon. Usagi giggled when Miaka reminisced about Tasuki and Tamahome's brawls and cried when the deaths were being recounted. 

"I know how you must have felt." Usagi murmured, sympathetically. When they finally reached the part that had to do with Mamoru's collapse, they ended their narrative. 

"Well, since you have told me so much about what had happened to you, and since you think you can trust me with this, I will tell you everything that has happened to me over the past two years." Usagi said, getting everyone's attention. 

"Usa-ko……………….don't tell them that I am Tuxedo Kamen, all right?" Mamoru asked, whispering in her ear so he wouldn't be heard by anyone else. 

"How else will they understand why you got kidnapped all those times if I don't say that you are Tuxedo Kamen?" Usagi whispered back. 

"Fine. Do as you wish, you're going to tell them anyway." Mamoru mumbled, moodily, as he lay back on the couch with a resigned sigh. 

"Stop being so grumpy, Mamo-chan." Usagi chided, then she started telling the rest of the group of her and the Sailor Senshi's extraordinary adventures, and of Mamoru's role in the whole thing. 

"You are Tuxedo Kamen, Mamoru-sempai?! Whoa! We underestimated you! And to think we thought of you as an ol' stick in the mud like Keisuke and Tetsuya, and not at all like Tamahome! We were wrong!" Hotohori said, with a laugh, getting dirty looks from both Keisuke and Tetsuya while he was at it. Taka just merely sat there and blinked, not believing what he was hearing. 

"Chiba-sempai, where do you think Nuriko is now? How will we know it is him when we do find him?" Miaka asked, with uncertainty in her voice. 

"I don't know, Yuki-san, but I do know that whatever is sending me those visions through the scroll is trying to bring your group back together." Mamoru said, as he made a move to sit up, but found that he was still too weak to do so on his own. 

"Hey, Keisuke-kun, your folks won't be back tonight right?" Tetsuya asked. 

"No, they've gone off on a vacation by themselves for about two weeks. Why?" Keisuke asked, confused. 

"Well, maybe we can all crash here for tonight. Guys downstairs, girls upstairs. Tomorrow's Sunday anyway. We can start our search for Nuriko early tomorrow morning." Tetsuya suggested. 

"That's a great idea! And I'll call Yui-chan and see if she can come over as well!" Miaka shouted, gleefully. 

"May I call the rest of the senshi, too?" Usagi asked, excitedly. 

"Sure, why not? I want to meet the ones who'd helped to save this world while I was trying to save the book world!" Miaka replied, with a giggle. 

"No matter how old they get, girls never outgrow sleepovers." Keisuke said, before getting beamed in the head with a shoe. 

"Shut up, Onii-san!!!" Miaka snarled, as her brother twitched on the floor. 

"That had to hurt." Mamoru said, with a snicker, as Usagi dashed upstairs and started dialing her friends' numbers. 

Miaka laughed as Rei picked on Usagi for not arriving at the meeting that afternoon (it had taken several hours to explain everything to the group) and Yui and Ami compared notes about their adventures. 

"I can't believe that you'd told them all about us! What if they decide to tell everyone in Tokyo who the Sailor Senshi really are?!" Rei shouted, starting to throw her usual conniption fit. 

"She reminds me of a female version of Tasuki." Miaka whispered to Yui, getting a giggle for a response. 

"Only without the tessen and orange hair!" Yui agreed, as Rei continued her tirade. 

"What was that about a tessen?" Rei asked, snapping out of her angry mode just as quickly as she gone into it. 

"Uh………………Just mentioning to Yui-chan that a friend of mine used to use an iron tessen while in battle, that's all." Miaka replied, nervously, not exactly favoring the idea of being the next to feel Hino Rei's wrath. 

"An iron tessen? What was it used for?" Rei asked, her curiosity aroused. 

"For throwing flames! You see, all my friend Tasuki had to do was hold the tessen out in front of him, shout 'Rekka Shiinen' and wave the tessen at his opponent." Miaka said. 

"Or the one he happened to be angry at that moment." Taka wryly commented, from downstairs. 

"Your boyfriend is very outspoken, Miaka-chan." Makoto said, with a smirk on her face. 

"You should see him when he's confronted with Tasuki himself. He really gets loud then." Miaka replied, mirroring Makoto's smirk with her own. 

"But he's cute though. You are one lucky girl, Miaka-chan." Makoto said, with a touch of envy in her voice. 

"Have you even looked at Hotohori? He's cute too, and single!" Minako said, coming into the conversation with her usual unpredictability. All the girls froze for a moment, then they all started laughing. 

"Ladies, are you going to go to sleep any time soon?" Hotohori's voice asked from downstairs. 

"Hai!" all the girls chimed together in unison, much to the amusement of those downstairs. 

"Goodnight then!" Hotohori called, then went through the house turning off the lights so he and the rest of the men could get to sleep. 

Mamoru sighed as he settled back onto the couch. Dozing off was relatively easy, since he was so tired, but then the dreams came. 

__

"Prince Endymion." A voice called. 

"Who is calling me? Elios? Is that you?" Mamoru asked, becoming aware that he was wearing his princely armor and that he was now 'standing' in a mist enshrouded field. 

"Yes. It is I, your Highness. There is someone here that wishes to make herself known to you." Elios said, as he emerged from the mists, an old woman and a sprite accompanying him. 

"To whom do I owe the honor of meeting this night?" Endymion politely asked. 

"I'm glad that at least you're a little more polite than Tamahome, the one you so resemble. I am Tai itsukun, an oracle of the Four gods earth and sky and this is my servant, Nyan Nyan. I have come to you, Prince Endymion, to give you something that might help with locating the remaining Suzakusichisei. Here, take these amulets. There are enough for everyone in the house. Every time someone gets close enough to another seishi's aura, these amulets will start glowing." Tai itsukun said, as she handed Endymion a medium sized velvet bag. Endymion pulled one out and looked at it. 

"A crimson phoenix?" Endymion asked. 

"That is the symbol of Suzakuseikun. Wear it at all times." Tai itsukun ordered. 

"But what about that girl, Yui? Wasn't she the Seiryu no Miko?" Endymion asked, with genuine concern, as he replaced the amulet back into the bag. 

"Seiryu's power was sealed away by Miaka when she summoned Suzaku that first time. Seiryu won't pose any particular problem this time." Tai itsukun said, not exactly answering his question, but allaying his fears somewhat. 

"Tai itsukun, what part do I play in this mysterious play?" Endymion asked, as the three figures began to fade back into the mists. 

"You shall see, Prince Endymion, you shall see. Very soon, I might add." Tai itsukun said, as her voice echoing strangely as her form mingled with the shadows of his mind. 

Mamoru awoke with a start. It was still dark, but much of the night had already gone by. He then became aware of a strange warmth on his chest. When he looked, he saw the velvet bag he had received from Tai itsukun in his dream/vision. He then pulled out an amulet and looked closely at it, since he couldn't see it very well in his dream. It was made of heavy gold and was inlaid with some of the deepest red rubies he had ever seen. It glowed faintly in the darkness and he could feel the power that had filled Hotohori and Tamahome that afternoon. Even as he contemplated the warmth he felt from the amulet, the crystal that lay buried in his chest responded, sending it's own warmth through him.

Elsewhere, Elios sighed and looked up, also feeling the warmth his master was feeling. "The awakening has begun." Elios murmured, knowing that with this awakening, there were going to be new trials for the senshi, seishi and the prince. 

"Yes. Let us hope that he will be able to tie the two worlds together." Tai itsukun said, in agreement, her statement foreshadowing the future.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

The next morning, the search for Nuriko began. Mamoru had at first been reluctant to hand out the amulets, but then thought back to his dream and the aged oracle of the book world. What was this going to do to his future? Miaka and the rest had been completely taken by surprise when they had been told about Tai itsukun meeting with Mamoru through a dream. 

"I think I would rather call that a nightmare." Taka said, remembering how ugly Tai itsukun was. 

"It's no wonder she thinks you're impolite, Tamahome." Mamoru said, getting a dirty look from the seishi. 

"Well, let's get going. Nuriko's out there somewhere! Let's try to find him today!" Miaka said, cheerily. 

"If this guy's as cute as you say he is, then I've got first dibs!" Minako said, matter-of-factly. 

"That is exactly what you'd said about Hotohori last night, Mina-chan!" Usagi cajoled. 

"And what's the matter with that? Men are allowed to have harems!" Minako protested. All the men got the 'anime blue streak' across their faces. 

"Not in Tokyo, Minako-san, not in Tokyo." Mamoru sputtered, almost choking on his coffee. 

"Oh? And why not?" Minako asked. Mamoru didn't reply, but instead walked faster in order to get away from Minako. The other men followed his example. 

"Hey! Why are you guys walking so fast? Come back here!" Minako shouted, sending the male part of their group into a mad dash down the sidewalk. 

"Wow! I've never seen Mamoru-sempai move so fast! He must really be scared of you, Mina-chan!" Makoto teased, getting a flustered look from Minako. 

"He isn't afraid of youmas, but one mentioning of an all male harem and he's gone like greased lightning." Ami said, never once taking her eyes off of her keypad. 

"Well, that's basically what Miaka-chan had…………eheh……..never mind." Yui said, with a nervous giggle when she saw Miaka's expression. 

"'Scuse us, ladies, but do you know the way to…." One male voice asked. 

"The Jubankoku High school?" another voice finished. All looked behind them and saw two young men. 

"_The Boshi Twins!_" Miaka thought, suddenly feeling panic surge through her. One look at Yui's face proved that she was thinking the same thing. 

"Erm. Yeah, down that way and take a left." Usagi said, pointing down the road in front of them. 

"Arigato gozaimash'ta!" the twins said, in unison, before politely passing the group and continuing on their way. 

"Whew! Chill right down the spine! That was way too creepy!" Miaka said, relieved when the 'Boshi Twins' were out of sight. 

"Why? They were rather cute." Makoto said, confused. 

"Those two looked exactly like two of Yui-chan's seishi. Those two were the Seiryusichisei Suboshi and Amiboshi!" Miaka explained. 

"You mean that one of them, Suboshi, was the one that had ruthlessly killed Tamahome's family?! That Suboshi?!" Minako asked, her voice rising a couple of notches. Yui nodded and replied, " The very same." 

"I can't believe it….But I didn't feel any negative vibes from them." Rei murmured, as they continued on their way. 

"The funny thing is…I didn't either." Yui said, as she drifted into her own thoughts.

Hours later, they returned to the house without Nuriko. "Where could he be?" Miaka mused, with her mouth full of course. 

"We've searched everywhere that we thought he would hang out at, and still no luck." Keisuke grumbled, before taking a big bite out of the slice of pizza he'd put on his plate. 

"Hmmm……….." Mamoru said, ignoring the pizza on his plate. 

"What're you thinking, Mamoru-sempai?" Ami asked. 

"I was just trying to figure out where Nuriko could be that we haven't checked yet. From what I've learned about Nuriko, he should have been in each of the places we have checked. Yuki-san, is there something else I still don't know about Nuriko? The slightest bit of info would be a big help." Mamoru said. 

"Well, I thought I'd already told you that Nuriko was a cross-dresser. What else haven't I told you?" Miaka asked. 

"What about his personality? What did he act like?" Ami queried. 

"Well, he was a pretty carefree person, yet he worried a lot. Other than that, he liked to prance around a lot and show off his wardrobe." Miaka replied. 

"Prance around………..prance around………..Damn! Why didn't I think of this before?!" Mamoru shouted, standing up suddenly, scaring the daylights out of his companions. 

"What, Mamo-chan? What haven't you thought of before?" Usagi asked, startled by her boyfriend's sudden outburst. 

"Usa-ko, do you remember that time two years ago, not long after you had found Mercury and Mars, when you were lured into a trap that had modeling involved?" Mamoru asked. 

"Hai! You'd even told me about when you had to model to get through high-school……….." Usagi trailed off as the idea dawned on her and the rest. 

"The modeling agency!" the rest of the group said, in unison, as Mamoru smiled his satisfaction. 

"What're we waiting for? Let's go! Nuriko's waiting!" Miaka shouted, happily, getting a unanimous agreement from her friends. 

Mamoru braced himself as he and the group walked in. 

"CHIBA! How good it is to see you again after so long! What have you been doing with yourself?!" a scraggly looking man asked, as he attached himself to an embarrassed Mamoru. 

"I've not been doing much, Kagi-kun, now would you kindly get off of me?!" Mamoru asked, his nerves slightly frazzled. 

"Oh, of course. What has brought you and your friends here?" the man asked, as he reluctantly let go of Mamoru and stood sullenly before them. 

"We are looking for a man that matches this description." Mamoru said, as he handed a paper with the description written on it. 

"Oh yes! There is a young man here going by this description! Ishida! Ishida Ryuen, get your sorry ass out here!" Kagi screeched, as he disappeared into a hallway, leaving the group standing there. 

"If this Ryuen guy is a smart man, he won't come when he's called by Kagi." Mamoru muttered under his breath. 

"Is he gone?" a voice whispered from overhead. 

"Yeah, come on out." Keisuke said, as the group turned to face who had spoken first. "Thanks. Whew! That guy's as gay as a jaybird! He won't be back for a while." A young man said, as he climbed down from an overhead hiding place and faced the group. 

"What's your name, sir?" Minako asked, out of curiosity. 

"My name's Ryuen Ishida. What's yours?" the young man asked. 

"My name is Minako Aino. My friends and I have come here to ask you some questions concerning a certain book." Minako said, speaking for the whole group this time. 

"If you people are going to speak to me about that, then lets go someplace else to talk. I don't feel comfortable standing here talking." Ryuen said, as he nervously looked around. 

"What are you afraid of, Ishida-kun?" Mamoru asked, curious as to why Ryuen was so nervous. 

"There's this new model here. Some guy with long black hair and a mean disposition, calls himself 'Tomo' or somethin' to that effect. There's somethin' evil about him, something horribly familiar…….." Ryuen said, nervously. 

"_Tomo! One of the Seiryu seishi! Now it is imperative that we find all of the Suzakusichisei! Quickly!_" Mamoru thought, as he turned an urgent gaze to his companions and they all ushered Ryuen out of the building just as Kagi returned to where they were standing just moments before. 

"Hey! That was a dirty trick, Chiba! CHIBA!!!!!!!!!!!" Kagi screeched, as the group quickly disappeared into the crowd.

"You mean to tell me that I am the reborn Nuriko? A character from a book?" Ryuen asked, not believing what he was hearing. 

"It is the truth, Ishida-kun. You are Nuriko, the third Suzakusichisei. We've been searching for you since early this morning to find you and hopefully help you remember what had happened to you previously." Mamoru replied, calmly. The entire group now sat (or stood, as in Hotohori's case) in Mamoru's spacious apartment's living room. 

"Have you thought to check those amulets you are now wearing, minna?" Luna asked, as she came out of nowhere and perched on Usagi's shoulder. 

"That's right! The amulets Chiba-sempai gave us this morning! Let's check them!" Miaka said, as she pulled the amulet out of its hiding place. The moment they had all revealed their amulets, a brilliant red light emerged. 

"Suzaku……………" Miaka murmured under her breath, amazed by the sight. Then Hotohori let out a cry of amazement. 

"My sword! Suzaku's returned my sword to me!" Hotohori exclaimed, as he felt the familiar weight of the weapon in his hands. 

"And look at Ryuen! He's glowing!" Taka shouted, as the red light centered itself on Ryuen, and then on his chest. 

"Look! He even has Nuriko's bracelets! Nuriko!" Miaka cried, hoping that Nuriko would awaken at the sound of her voice. 

"Miaka? Suzaku no Miko? Is that you?" Nuriko asked, sounding almost sleepy as he came out of his trance. 

"Nuriko! Yes! It's me! And Hotohori and Tamahome are here too!" Miaka said, happily, as tears of joy cascaded down her face. 

"Hotohori-sama?! Forgive me your highness! I was so rude to have fallen asleep!" Nuriko yelped, immediately dropping into a bow. 

"No need for that now, Nuriko. You and Hotohori are of the same class now. Now we have to go about trying to find Chichiri and the rest. That is going to be one hell of a task, especially since there is the possibility that the Seiryu seishi have also been reborn." Mamoru said, calmly. 

"Hold up! Wait a minute! I just figured out how much you and Tamahome look like each other!" Nuriko said, as he placed the two men beside one another. 

"It is fairly obvious to the rest of the world as well, Nuriko." Mamoru said, dryly, getting a laugh from the rest of the group. 

"Mamoru-sempai, where do you think Chichiri would be? What would be your guess?" Keisuke asked. 

"Well, you and Tetsuya-kun kept track of what happened to Yuki-san when she was in the book, you tell me. What was the most striking thing about Chichiri? What kind of places did he like the best?" Mamoru asked. 

"Let's see…….from what I can remember reading about Chichiri, he seemed to really like fishing. And he also spent a good deal of his life in Mt. Taikyoku under the tutelage of Tai itsukun. Do you think he could be living in the mountains, Mamoru-sempai?" Tetsuya asked. 

"Could be. We're going to have to work something out so we can all go up to the mountains together and find Chichiri, if he's there. He might even be living near the old ski resort that closed down recently." Mamoru said, as he pulled out an old road map and showed them the location he was talking about. 

"Maybe we can get some skiing in too!" Usagi added, excitedly. 

"The last time you went skiing, Usa-ko, you were crying from the time you got on the lift to the time you made it down the hill!" Mamoru said, sarcastically. 

"Hey! How could you know that?! You were brainwashed, remember?!?" Usagi screeched, furiously. 

"I remember tidbits every now and again. That was one of the few things I could ever forget about during my time as a brainwashed minion of Queen Beryl." Mamoru said, with a look that said it all on his handsome face. 

"You're going to wish you'd never remembered it, Chiba Mamoru!" Usagi screamed, and proceeded to chase Mamoru around the room. 

"Does this happen often?" Taka asked, with a deadpan expression on his face. 

"This has never happened before! This is a side to Usagi even I have never seen!" Rei commented, not faking amazement when she said that. The chase continued until it was time for the rest of the group to go home.


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

When the group had received the startling news that their schools/colleges were closed for two weeks for renovations, they wondered whether or not Tai itsukun had arranged for it to happen that way. 

"Now we can go find Chichiri!" Miaka said, enthusiastically. 

"And possibly Tasuki too, if we're lucky. Now let's go." Mamoru said, as he, Keisuke, and Tetsuya went to get their cars ready for the long trip into the mountains. 

"Now, did everybody remember to tell their parents where they were going?" Nuriko asked, as they loaded suitcases into the trunks of the three cars. 

"Hai!" came the unanimous response. 

"Then let's go get Chichiri!" Nuriko shouted, gleefully, as he jumped into a car and sat next to Miaka and Tamahome in the back of Mamoru's car. 

"Looks like this has turned into the Suzaku Seat." Hotohori said, with an amused smile, as he looked at Tamahome, Miaka, and Nuriko. 

"Yuki-san, what characteristics are we looking for in this Chichiri person?" Mamoru asked, looking into his rearview mirror at the Suzaku no Miko. 

"Erm……..Let's see…………..well, he had this scar on his face. But he always kept it covered by a magical mask. He has blue hair. He always put a 'no da' at the end of every sentence when he wasn't being serious." Miaka replied. 

"You'd said that he had a scar. What kind of scar was it and where was it located on his face?" Mamoru asked, as he drove. 

"The scar was located on his left eye. You see, his left eye was gouged out in a freak accident during a flood." Miaka said, not wishing to disclose to Mamoru all that had happened to Chichiri. 

"Poor man. I feel sorry for him. I get the sense that he also had some emotional scars to add to the physical one he had on his face. But I am not going to force you to tell me what happened to him." Mamoru said, as he drove on. 

"Thank you, Chiba-sempai." Miaka said, grateful that he wasn't going to push any further for information about Chichiri's painful past. Usagi looked admiringly at Mamoru as he drove. He was so kind hearted and considerate of those he considered his closest friends. Hours passed as they rode in comfortable silence, each one having a sense of belonging with the close knit group. 

"Hey Taka-kun, would you mind driving for a while? I need to stop before I fall asleep at the wheel." Mamoru asked, as he pulled over to one side of the road. 

"Sure I don't mind. I'll wake you when it's your turn." Taka said, as he climbed out of the car so he could switch with Mamoru. 

"Miaka-chan, do you want to sit up front with Sukunami-sempai? I just want to sit back there with Mamo-chan." Usagi said. 

"Hai! If you don't mind sitting with Nuriko and Hotohori." Miaka said, as she too got out of the car and switched places. 

"I don't mind at all! Now I'm the one that's flanked by handsome men!" Usagi chortled, getting a collective groan out of the three men. 

"Very funny, Tsukino-san!" Nuriko said, crossing his arms and giving her an unreadable look. 

"Thank you for the compliment, Tsukino-san! I appreciate it!" Hotohori said, getting a groan out of Miaka, Nuriko and Tamahome. 

"Don't even think of bringing your old narcissism back, Hotohori-sama!" Nuriko said, irritably. 

"Wouldn't dream of it……..while I am in the car, that is." Hotohori replied, putting on a look of innocence. That got a laugh out of the small group of friends as they got back on the road and kept on going.

It was well into the afternoon when they stopped to eat and ask for directions. All those that had been cramped in the three cars were of course happy to get out stretch their legs. They all got strange looks as they entered the restaurant they had chosen. While they were waiting in the gift shop part of the restaurant (think Cracker Barrel, only Japanese style) Mamoru, Tetsuya, and Keisuke picked up some walkie talkies and some batteries, so they could keep in contact with one another while on the road. Of course Miaka and Usagi stuffed their faces with all they could possibly get into their mouths, successfully grossing out their boyfriends while they were at it. 

"Hey! Are ya'll twins?" a female voice asked from the table behind them. 

"We could be. Why do you ask?" Mamoru asked, amused by the question, as he turned to face the one that had spoken, and as Taka did the same. 

"No reason. Just wanted to know. I was just curious, that's all." A young, blond haired waitress said, as she finished bussing that table then walked over to the next one, her short hair hanging in loose strands around her face as she left them without another remark. Mamoru, knowing not to look after the retreating figure, looked back at his plate, not exactly wanting to get slapped by Usagi again. Usagi hadn't even noticed the exchange, since she and Miaka were racing to inhale the last of the dinner/late lunch that had been laid out before them. 

"They're almost more passionate about food than they are about their boyfriends!" Minako commented, getting an identical pair of dirty looks from both Usagi and Miaka. 

"Birds of a feather flock together, Mina-chan." Ami said, deciding to get to the idioms before Minako could. 

"You know, they do have a point there." Tamahome muttered under his breath, getting a nod of agreement from Mamoru before they both ducked to avoid getting floored by some accurately thrown shoes and other deadly projectiles (forks, knives, etc.). 

"Thus ends another interesting meal with these interesting people." Hotohori said, mostly to himself, as the barrage of the two girls continued on the two hapless men.

Evening shadows were long by the time they'd reached the hotel they were going to stay in. It had been an interesting day for all of them. From the time they had left the restaurant to the time they had arrived at the hotel it was one thing and then another. First they had all gotten separated in traffic, then they stopped at a scenic area and took some pictures and called to check in with their parents on some payphones. By the time they had reached the hotel, they were all ready for a good night's sleep. 

"Whoa, when the songwriter had said that it had been a hard day's night he wasn't kidding! I don't remember ever having been so tired!" Miaka said, stifling a yawn as she and the rest of the girls were led to their own room. 

"I can agree with you on that! Besides, your brother's driving leaves much to be desired, Miaka-chan." Makoto said, as she patted the shorter girl on the head then headed off to the shower. 

"I know that all too well, Mako-chan!" Miaka agreed, as she and the other girls set out where they were going to sleep. 

"Hey! Miaka! Would you mind if I roomed with you? You know, like old times?" Nuriko asked. 

"No Nuriko. I'm sorry! You can't room with me this time." Miaka said, honestly sorry that Nuriko couldn't stay in the same room with them. 

"That's all right, Miaka! I'll just find a safe place to hide from the rest of the guys for the night." Nuriko said, cheerily, as he went back into the room that had been designated for the men. 

"Poor Nuriko. I'm sorry I had to say no to him." Miaka said, guiltily, before getting whacked over the head with a pillow by Yui. 

"Hey! Whatwuzzat for?!" Miaka asked, as she turned to Yui with an accusatory look. 

"Just trying to knock some sense into you, that's all, Miaka-chan!" Yui said, as she hit Miaka with the pillow again. 

"I'll get you for that, Yui-chan!" Miaka shouted, as she belted Yui one with her pillows. Soon all of the girls were in on the fun and a huge pillow fight ensued. Nuriko sighed as he sat and listened to the laughter coming from across the hall. 

"I wish I could be in on the fun! Sounds like they're havin' a blast over there." Nuriko said, wistfully, before getting hit in the head with a pillow. 

"Shut up and go to sleep, Nuriko." Mamoru grumbled, as he turned over and put his back to Nuriko. 

"That was a good throw, Mamoru-sempai." Keisuke said, from his place on the floor. 

"Do you think it could be because he's Tuxedo Kamen?" Hotohori asked, with amusement as Nuriko went off to sulk for a while before going to sleep. 

"Perhaps." Mamoru said, before he drifted off to sleep. 

The next morning, the group regrouped and thought up a plan for the day. They would separate into two separate groups and search the area for leads on where a one eyed man would be and when they found him, they would persuade him to return with them to the hotel and they would tell him about who he was supposed to be. After trying out their idea, they returned to the hotel empty handed. After they had had lunch, they went out together into the land surrounding the ski resort. The terrain was easily traveled on, especially for those who weren't used to long distance hikes, considering where they were. 

"I here some water nearby. We're going to check over that way." Tamahome said over one of the walkie-talkies, as he took his small group (which consisted of him, Miaka, Nuriko, Usagi and Mamoru) closer to where a fairly large stream flowed. Within moments of the group getting closer to the stream, they became aware of some faint, yet very clear, cries for help, coming from the stream bank. 

"Hey! Is anybody out there?! Help!" the voice cried again, desperation adding a shrill note to it. 

"Hang on! What's wrong? Where are you?!" Mamoru shouted back, letting the owner of the voice know that he had been heard. 

"I've slipped on some rocks and fallen part of the way into the stream! My foot's caught and I can't get it loose! I think I may have broken my ankle!" the voice shouted, the note of pain becoming noticeable to the group of rescuers. 

"Hold on! We're coming your way! Keep shouting so we can find you!" Tamahome said, as he and his group carefully picked their way onto the rock strewn stream bank towards the desperate voice. With the expertise only Tuxedo Kamen could show off, Mamoru gracefully jumped from rock to rock, balancing himself perfectly so that it seemed a simple matter for him to get to the trapped man first. Finally, after having some near disasters themselves, Tamahome, Nuriko, Miaka and Usagi arrived, not in the least bit surprised that Mamoru had gotten there first and was already trying to get the man's trapped foot loose. The first thing Miaka noticed about the stranger was his blue hair. Then she turned to Tamahome and saw that his ogre symbol was reacting, as was his amulet. 

"Taka-kun, Ryuen-kun, help me over here. Ryuen-kun, you think you could uproot these rocks here?" Mamoru asked. 

"No problem!" Nuriko said, confidently, as he carefully pried the two rocks apart and the man's foot drifted free. 

"Itai…….." the man said, with a wince, as he held his foot with both hands. 

"Now, Taka-kun, could you help me get him back to shore?" Mamoru asked again, not wanting Nuriko to reveal his true strength and startle the other man. 

"Hai." Tamahome said, as he helped Mamoru get the other man into a stand of sorts, then helped him limp back onto solid ground. 

"_Tamahome and Nuriko's symbols are reacting. As are their amulets and those that Usa-ko, Yuki-san and I are wearing. Could this possibly be Chichiri?_" Mamoru wondered, as they carefully set the man down on the ground and Mamoru (being the medical student that he was) started examining the ankle of the man they had rescued. 

"Is it broken?" the man asked, from between chattering teeth (he had also gotten a little wet in his mishap as well). 

"No. Not from what I could tell, anyway. I'd say that it is just pretty badly sprained. I don't feel a fracture in here. I'd say that you came out of this very lucky, indeed." Mamoru said, noticing the look of relief on the other man's face and also the scar that stretched from his left eye across the bridge of his nose. 

"Thank you for coming when you did. Who knows how long I would have been trapped there if you hadn't come along." The man said, gratefully. 

"Well, actually, we've been looking for you……" Nuriko said, then yelped when Tamahome stepped on his foot. 

"You mean that my neighbors have already started searching for me? Daaaa. Oops! Sorry about that! I have an odd habit of saying 'no da' every now and again. Just ignore me when I start doing that." The man said, embarrassed by his slip of the tongue. 

"That's all right! We're used to that! Say it as much as you want!" Miaka said, cheerily, finally realizing whom they might have found. 

"Excuse me, but why does your forehead have a glowing red marking on it?" the man asked, observant despite the pain he was in. Tamahome glanced at his friends and lover, got the okay from them, then proceeded to explain, while Mamoru called the rest of their large group together.

"So I am Chichiri, the Suzakusichisei. It's such an odd story, yet I believe you. I've never really felt that I belonged here, yet I felt that there was a reason for my being alive. Maybe this is the reason." Houjun (this man's name, coincidentally) said, reflectively, as he ran a hand over his scarred face. 

"It's so strange. This time the situation's switched. I'm trying to help you regain your memories of us." Tamahome said, with a wistful smile. 

"And, since we have found four of the seven, that only leaves Tasuki, Chiriko and Mitsukake!" Nuriko said, with a smile.

"But Chichiri hasn't regained all of his memories yet." Miaka said, not noticing when Mamoru handed a phoenix amulet to Houjun. The moment Houjun's fingers came in contact with the amulet, a brilliant red flash lit up the room, and within seconds, the Chichiri they knew had awakened. 

"Welcome back, Chichiri." Hotohori said, as a smile took over the blue-haired seishi's face. 

"Now, where do we find Tasuki?" Mamoru asked.

"Good question, no da. Where did you find him the first time, Miaka?" Chichiri asked.

"Hotohori, Tamahome, Nuriko and I found him near Mt. Reikaku the first time. I don't know where to look this time." Miaka replied, quietly.

"I think I might know where to look." Rei said, speaking up for the first time that day.

"You do, Rei-chan? Where?" Yui asked.

"Shuichirou, a guy who works for my grandfather at the Hikawa Shrine, often goes to apply for work at a taxi service. He told me that the last time he was there, there was a really loud, obnoxious redhead down there who called himself Genrou. Maybe that's the man we should look for." Rei suggested.

"That's a thought. But now we're going to have to drive all the way back to Tokyo and find the man." Mamoru said, already dreading the drive back. 

"Well, no one had said this was going to be easy, Mamoru-sempai." Ami said, as they all started to make their way back to the hotel.

"I hope you don't mind if I carry you, Chichiri." Nuriko said, as he easily lifted Chichiri up from the ground and carried him like a child.

"I don't mind, no da. It's keeping the weight off of my ankle, at least." Chichiri said, keeping a tight grip on the staff that had reappeared in his hands when he'd reawakened.


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

"_Prince Endymion_..._" a voice called, softly, to a slumbering mind._

"_Who is it? Tai itsukun? Is it you that calls me?" Endymion questioned, a bit bewildered when four men appeared before him; their eyes distinctly worried._

"_We are the four gods of the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho. I am known as Genbu, and these behind me, are Suzaku, Seiryu, and Byakko. We need your help, Prince Endymion, as never before."_

"_Why? Didn't Tai-itsukun give me the task of finding just the Suzakusichisei?" Endymion asked, as confusion and concern warred for supremacy within him. Genbu nodded._

"_She did, indeed. But now, things have gotten much worse." Genbu murmured._

"_What do you mean?" Endymion again asked, his voice dropping to a whisper._

"_Our new enemies have gotten a lot stronger since she last spoke to you, Prince. And you now need all twenty-eight seishi to fight against them." Byakko stated, speaking up for the first time in Endymion's presence._

"_But where should I start? And what could possibly awaken them? Both of the previous mikos are dead; one was murdered, and the other has already passed away from old age." Endymion murmured, worriedly._

"_Tai-itsukun has taken care of that much, Earth Prince, have no fear. And you now carry with you the signs of all four gods. Take care, and guide them well. We are counting on you." Genbu said, as he placed a clawed hand on the Earth Prince's armored shoulder, before slowly disappearing into the shadows of the young man's mind._

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Mamoru bolted upright in his bed, his body soaked in a cold sweat. At first, disorientation was the strongest feeling within him; his heart was pounding fiercely in his chest as he glanced around the room. It took him those few moments to remember that he and the mixed group of senshi and reborn seishi (and the two mikos) had stopped for the night in Morioka, and would continue on their way in the morning.

"You all right, Mamoru-san?" Nuriko's voice asked, startling Mamoru a little bit.

"I'm okay." Mamoru replied, a bit shakily, yet sensed that the seishi could tell that he was lying.

"You're as pale as a ghost. What did you dream about that scared you this badly?" Nuriko asked, as he propped himself up on his elbows and gazed seriously at him (he was camped out on the floor beside one of the beds, since Hotohori was sleeping in one, Mamoru had the middle one, and Chichiri had the last. Everybody else got the floor, and the girls were in the room next door).

"Nuriko...I'm not exactly sure how to explain it, but I think the stakes have gotten a lot higher since last night." Mamoru murmured.

"How so, Mamoru-kun?" Hotohori asked, also having been awakened by Mamoru's unease.

"While I was sleeping, Genbu, Byakko, Suzaku and even Seiryu came to me. They told me that the enemy has gotten stronger than the seven of you could handle alone, and that the awakening of all of the seishi is now essential." Mamoru replied, as disgruntled looks appeared on the two seishis' faces.

"You mean...you have to awaken even the Seiryusichisei?" Nuriko asked. This got a grim nod from Mamoru as a response.

"In other words, we're going to need the full might of the heavens, along with the Sailor Senshi, in this fight...Especially since it concerns both worlds." Mamoru murmured, as he propped his arms on his folded knees, and placed his chin on top of them; his deep blue eyes full of foreboding.

"Reason enough to be concerned, no da." Chichiri said, as he also sat up and gazed thoughtfully at the Earth Prince.

"But, who is to say if the Seiryusichisei will even agree to help us? Or the seishi of Genbu or Byakko, for that matter?" Hotohori questioned.

"I don't know. Judging from what Miaka, Tamahome, Keisuke, Yui, and Tetsuya were willing to tell me in the beginning, each and every one of the Seiryusichisei had suffered some deep emotional wounds of some kind...And, deep down, I think it would be kinder to allow them to remain unawakened." Mamoru said, his gaze deeply troubled by the weight their mission had taken on in just that one night. Nuriko gave him a soft, kind smile; how much this young man reminded him of how Hotohori had been, in their former world!

"You are a good, stalwart young man, Mamoru. Konankoku could have done with more like you...But I will say this; avoiding this issue will only make things harder on all of us, in the long run. Who is to say that the Seiryu seishi won't be dragged into this conflict, anyway? This new enemy, whomever or whatever he may be, might start attacking them...and, without their powers, they will be vulnerable." Hotohori said, quietly appealing to the royal he knew sat before him. Mamoru sighed, then gave the former emperor a wry look.

"If I am allowed to do so, after all of this is over, I will make you one of my advisors, Hotohori." Mamoru murmured, getting a pleased smile from Hotohori as a response.

"Nothing would please me more." Hotohori responded, as they all watched the sunrise from where they sat; each of their thoughts heading in the same direction...Where was this new path taking them?

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Mamoru and Tamahome both flinched when Usagi and Miaka started a tug-of-war over some of the breakfast food in the food court later that same morning.

"_If I didn't know any better, I'd say this was an episode of Slayers!_" Mamoru thought, as he gave both girls a chagrined look, then stood and walked over to the main desk.

"See what you did, Usagi? You chased Mamoru away from the table with your disgusting table manners AGAIN!" Rei snarled, getting a yowl from Usagi in response to that jab.

"I did not!" Usagi snapped, noticing when Mamoru unfolded a map and started asking the man there some questions.

"I think he's trying to figure out where the Okuda house is from here." Keisuke murmured, when he'd also noticed what his friend was doing, and Usagi's confusion over it.

"But why would he need to know? It's not like there's anything there, anymore. There's probably just an old, empty, run-down house...if there's even that. It's been over eighty years, after all." Tetsuya mused, as Mamoru returned to the table; his eyes, they noticed, having a hint of unease in them as he approached.

"What's up, Mamo?" Keisuke asked, as his classmate sat down with a weary sigh.

"The house still exists, in case you're wondering...But obviously not for much longer. It's scheduled to be demolished in a few days." Mamoru said, as he glanced at the map he still had in hand with grave certainty.

"So? Why do you even want to go there?" Tetsuya questioned, as all of those involved leaned forward; wanting to know more. Mamoru looked each of them in the eye, and sighed again.

"That house is where everything began...Where the Genbu no Miko had lived...and was eventually murdered...The reason I have for going there is to see if I can't find any clues to the whereabouts of the reborn Genbusichisei...and their miko." Mamoru quietly said, getting disbelieving looks from all of those gathered there.

"Does Tai-itsukun want you to do this? Seek out all twenty-eight seishi, and the two remaining mikos?" Tamahome asked, getting a nod from Mamoru in response.

"And that includes the Seiryusichisei as well...I can see why you're so uneasy, Mamoru-sempai." Yui said, knowing full well what kind of turmoil the man was going through.

"So, what do we do now? How are we going to find and awaken all of the seishi? We only have the phoenix amulets...and those probably won't work on the seishi of Genbu, Byakko, and Seiryu." Rei stated, having calmed down quite a bit in the few moments since the conversation had begun. Without saying a word, Mamoru reached into his knapsack, and pulled something out. To the group's shock, three more satchels full of amulets emerged; and each had their respective god and color designated to them.

"Genbu had told me that Tai-itsukun had taken care of that, and I didn't doubt it...But finding these made it seem even more real." Mamoru stated, then added, "I don't know where this is taking us...and I can only hope we'll all come out of this alive."

"Don't worry, Mamo-chan. We will. Right minna?" Usagi asked, as she turned to all of those who sat there.

"You bet!" the inner Senshi shouted.

"I certainly don't want to die again!" Hotohori stated, smiling when Nuriko agreed wholeheartedly with him.

"Me neither, Hotohori!" Nuriko said.

"No da!" Chichiri added, getting some much-needed smiles and laughter from the group.

"Then what're we waitin' for? Let's go out there and find those seishi!" Keisuke encouraged, eager to get back on the road, and continue the search. As they paid their bills and prepared to leave, Mamoru could only wonder now just how much his and Usagi's future was going to be change by all of this...And how much of it would be for the better...

_**Author's Note!**_

_**I realize that this was not a very exciting chapter, but I am trying to get back into writing in this again. (And, since Genbu Kaiden had just been released, I would have been remiss to ignore the Genbu seishi, ne?) More adventure to come in future chapters, so please, bear with me!**_

_**Gemini14**_


End file.
